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Council house help?

To put it mildly, sh** hit the fan. My wage has always been dreadful as has my partner's. We're internet based but recently - the website we work on has closed. All their relative websites have too.

We're currently looking for similar work.

However, in the meantime we won't be able to pay the bills this month. I'm considering moving into a council house as my rent is over the £250 (I think this is the limit) a week they offer.

How bad are these / are they identifiable? Please don't take me for an ignorant ar** - but I have in my time in London, seen very run down council estates.

Are all the properties like this? Are there some that aren't clearly identifiable as council? I've always worked hard despite earning very little and am quite proud.

I was just wondering on the quality / how bad these properties would be. Aware there's a list etc. but was just interested.

Would it be clear I was living in a council home to anyone else?

I hope this isn't for more than three months, but this company did pay our yearly wages effectively and I'm an online writer. The problem is finding work in that volume that fast. Within three months, I can be in and out.

I'd rather avoid a loan. I've always tried to be careful. Did look into credit cards a while ago as we started getting paid less and was worried I may need a little extra cash.

Any advice on these properties in terms of shape, cleanliness and if they're identifiable or not as council would help.

Thank you!
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Comments

  • Hump
    Hump Posts: 519 Forumite
    blimey - you missed the housing crisis completely, you have next to no chance of getting a council house so I wouldn't worry about whether they are OK to live in
  • tanith
    tanith Posts: 8,091 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    You will be in for a very long wait , that's if you can even get on a council list for housing.. you need another plan.
    #6 of the SKI-ers Club :j

    "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing" Edmund Burke
  • [simon]
    [simon] Posts: 241 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    Can you Claim housing benefit if the rented property accepts DSS ?

    Is that a possibility ?
  • sandsni
    sandsni Posts: 683 Forumite
    Unless you have serious circumstantial issues (other than being currently out of work), you're unlikely to be anywhere near the top of the astronomical list for council housing in any area of the UK. Do you have children, disabilities, anything that might get you further up the list? Even then you'd probably have to wait for months or even years. Otherwise I think you can forget the council house idea completely.

    Contact your local Citizens' Advice Bureau who may be able to offer you some advice on your current budgeting problems.
  • R_P_W
    R_P_W Posts: 1,507 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    You seem to have a priority issue! If you're that bloody desperate and in need of housing support why are you bothered about whether other people know it is a council house?!
  • Shucks'.

    We have an 18 year old son. Not sure what we're going to work out. He's on track for two of his A-Levels but the other two appear to be write offs.

    Sh**. Is it possible to find private landlords that will accept rent?

    Surely, if you're paid the housing benefit directly and then pay that to the landlord, it makes no difference?

    I've never been in a situation like this at all.

    Even if I got a council house, are they reasonable to live in?

    I'd like to avoid borrowing off my parents again. I've borrowed a lot off them over the years and they've finally retired so I think it's only fair that they have their time off.

    With no job, I can't see how I could get a loan to keep me going for three months or so.

    Has anyone got any other suggestions?

    Is it possible to claim housing benefit and then pay it to a landlord? Would they need to know? As in are there legal obligations?

    As for our kid - if we found student accommodation for a year say, whilst he's at college, could he split and claim housing benefit to pay the rent on that? Not University accommodation but similar set up. We were going to do it for him anyway, but circumstances have changed.

    Any pointers on the above / further points of reference would help.

    This really sucks!
  • Yorkie1
    Yorkie1 Posts: 11,799 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    When you apply for private rented accommodation, you will almost certainly be credit checked. This will reveal your employment status and income, so the potential LL would know whether you could afford the rent from your income and/or savings.
  • @Yorkie1: so does that mean I'm stuffed?

    As, I'd have to claim benefits? My savings are really sparse. Under 2k.
  • braun_2
    braun_2 Posts: 133 Forumite
    Check gumtree, there are private LLs who take DSS

    Even if you were homeless you wouldn't get a council flat, u'd probably get put in a bedsit for the next 18 months while they asses your situation.
  • Crap.

    How high in demand are these flats on Gumtree?

    Do I contact the Housing Benefit office or whatever it be called before applying for a property? I'd assume slapping it on them and saying I need help is absurd.

    Does the landlord know you're paying via DSS?

    Or is it simply that they would ignore it on a credit check thing?
This discussion has been closed.
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